A para jump instructor from the Indian Air Force's Akash Ganga Skydiving team died after sustaining injuries during a demonstration drop in Uttar Pradesh's Agra on Saturday, officials said. The Indian Air Force (IAF) expressed grief over the incident and extended condolences to the family of the deceased.

"A Para Jump Instructor from the IAF's Akash Ganga Skydiving Team succumbed to injuries sustained during a Demo Drop at Agra today. The IAF deeply mourns the loss and extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, standing firmly with them in this hour of grief," the IAF said in a post on X.

According to police, Warrant Officer Ramkumar Tiwari (41) jumped from a helicopter at approximately 9:30 AM. However, his parachute didn't open on time due to a technical malfunction, causing him to fall directly to the ground. Sources said that the officer died at a military hospital. Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinayak Bhosale said, "Information about the death was received from the Military Hospital at around 12 noon. The Sadar police station has sent the body for postmortem examination."

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This comes two days after the death of an IAF flight lieutenant, Siddharth Yadav, in a Jaguar jet crash during a night mission in Gujarat's Jamnagar on Wednesday. Officials reported that the aircraft took off from Ambala Air Force Base for a routine evening sortie but encountered a system malfunction, leading to a crash. The Indian Air Force has ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident.

"An IAF Jaguar two-seater aircraft airborne from Jamnagar Airfield crashed during a night mission. The pilots faced a technical malfunction and initiated ejection, avoiding harm to the airfield and local population. Unfortunately, one pilot succumbed to his injuries, while the other is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar," the IAF had said in a statement on Thursday. Expressing sorrow, the IAF stated, "IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family."

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The aircraft has been a critical part of the Indian Air Force since its induction in the late 1970s. The incident comes less than a month after another Jaguar aircraft crashed in Haryana's Ambala on March 7 due to a system malfunction.

(Note: Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Jagran English staff. Credit: PTI)